Union of Councils for Soviet Jews: Bigotry Monitor: Volume 3, Number 15

News

Bigotry Monitor: Volume 3, Number 15

(April 11, 2003)

Volume 3, Number 15

Friday, April 11, 2003

BIGOTRY MONITOR

A Weekly Human Rights Newsletter on Antisemitism, Xenophobia, andReligious Persecution in the Former Communist World and Western Europe

EDITOR: CHARLES FENYVESI

(News and Editorial Policy within the sole discretion of the editor)

Published by UCSJ: Union of Councils for Jews in the Former Soviet Union

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RUSSIA'S CHIEF MUFTI CALLS FOR JIHAD; KREMLIN PROTESTS BREACH OF LAW. The chief mufti of one of Russia's three competing Muslim spiritual boards has declared a jihad against the United States -- a call for a total war against an "infidel" country that many consider incompatible with the tolerance demanded of spiritual leaders. On the following day, the Russian Prosecutor General's Office responded by issuing a warning to the mufti’s organization that the call for jihad "incited religious strife," which is punishable by Russian law, and threatened to disband it. Other Muslim leaders were quick to condemn the mufti.

According to the Moscow daily "Kommersant" of April 4, on April 3, at a rally against the war in Iraq in Ufa organized by the regional branch of United Russia, Shaykh al-Islam Talgat Tadzhuddin, supreme mufti of the Central Spiritual Administration of Russia's Muslims (TsDUM), unexpectedly declared that the organization he heads had issued a fatwa - a religious decree -- declaring jihad against the United States. As a symbolic gesture, he waved an antique saber in the air. He also informed those who attended the meeting that the heads of the 29 regional muftiates of the TsDUM had just voted by fax in favor of a jihad against the countries fighting the war in Iraq. Tadzhuddin noted that this is the second time in Russia's contemporary history that a jihad has been declared. The first time was in 1941, against Nazi Germany. According to "Kommersant," the young people who attended the rally expressed "tumultuous support" for Tadzhuddin, shouting: "Mufti, we love you."

The government reacted swiftly. On April 4, Russia's Prosecutor General's Office warned that TsDUM may be liquidated as a religious organization if it ignores the prosecutor general's warning it has received about inciting inter-religious discord. According to the news agency Interfax, the Prosecutor General's Office cited the federal law, "On Countering Extremist Activity," which stipulates that if "violations that served as grounds for a warning are not eliminated within 13 months from the issuance of the warning, and, moreover, if new facts indicating extremism in the activity of this organization are discovered, this public or religious organization can be liquidated." Earlier in the day, the prosecutor of Bashkortostan issued an official warning to TsDUM -- as well as personally to Mufti Tadzhuddin -- against pursuing extremist activities.

"I will do everything in my power to ensure that Russia is not drawn into the Iraq crisis in any form this time either," President Vladimir Putin told journalists on April 3, in a statement that "Nezavisimaya Gazeta" interpreted as an answer to the "internal problem created by the radical stance" of Tadzhuddin. Calling the United States Russia's biggest economic partner, with trade reaching $9.2 billion in 2002 and approaching the $10 billion mark this year, Putin stressed that for economic reasons Russia is not interested in the United States' moral and political defeat in Iraq. Next, he cited Russia's obligation to continue working with the United States on stopping the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and continuing the war against terrorism. "The Kremlin is giving clear indications that it has returned to the 'realistic course' chosen after the September 11 tragedy," "Nezavisimaya Gazeta" commented.

According to the web site "Pravda.ru," Muslims discussing Putin's words about Russia's interest in opposing a U.S. defeat in Iraq asked in a Moscow mosque: "How is it possible that we call the USA an aggressor, but at the same time it is declared we are not interested in the defeat of this aggressor?"

According to "Nezavisimaya Gazeta," Russia has three main Islamic spiritual centers: the TsDUM, the Council of Muftis of Russia, and the North Caucasus Muslims' Coordination Center. The first two are in a state of open confrontation with each other, the daily reported, as their leaders -- Tadzhuddin and Ravil Gaynutdin -- are competing for the leadership of Russian Islam, while the third group is trying to maneuver between Tadzhuddin and Gaynutdin. "It is virtually impossible to calculate the approximate number of Muslims belonging to each of these centers," the daily states, as the "spiritual administrations automatically credit themselves with the membership of all the Muslims resident in their territory, regardless of the fact that many of them may belong to rival structures." Moreover, many Muslim communities associate themselves with several spiritual centers at the same time. "Nezavisimaya Gazeta" noted that in addition to the official Muslim clergy, "informal Islamic movements of a radical type" have "a significant influence on the minds of Russian Muslims." Representatives of official Muslim clergy have recently issued warnings about the growing influence of the Islamic radicals, known in Russia as "Wahhabis."

The majority of Islamic organizations disapproved of Tadzhuddin's call for jihad, "Nezavisimaya Gazeta" wrote. It quoted a statement by the Council of Muftis of Russia, signed by Council of Muftis Chairman Ravil Gaynutdin, that "notes with profound regret that certain Russian Muslims are not seeking peace in Iraq but World War III." Mufti Nurmukhamat Nigmatullin, chairman of the Spiritual Administration of the Muslims of Bashkortostan, said that "Mufti Tadzhuddin's statement in no way expresses the stance of all Russian Muslims." And Mufti Nafigulla Ashirov, head of the Spiritual Administration of the Muslims of Asian Russia, who has himself made radical statements in the recent past, said that Tadzhuddin's statement "is not taken seriously by any Muslim." The comment by Magomed Albogachiev, chairman of the North Caucasus Muslims' Coordination Center, stated: "We regard Mufti Tadzhuddin's attempt to declare a jihad on the United States as totally wrong."

Some Muslim spiritual leaders did express open support for Tadzhuddin, especially in Dagestan. A cautious statement came from Tatarstan President Mintimer Shaymiev, a shrewd politician who keeps close tabs on sentiments in his Muslim-majority republic. "While being aware of the concern and alarm of the Muslims of Tatarstan and also of the Muslims living in regions close to the republic, I can confidently say that in connection with the Iraq situation they neither have made nor are making any appeals for a jihad or other extreme action," the Tatar leader was quoted as saying. In Sverdlovsk Oblast, Chief Mufti Sibagatulla Khadzhi said that Islam permits the declaration of jihad in certain emergencies and argued that in his statement, Tadzhuddin was not calling for the start of military operations against the United States but for "a spiritual confrontation."

Speaker of the Federation Council, the upper house of the Russian parliament, Sergei Mironov probably spoke for many of his fellow ethnic Russians when he declared on April 4 in Dushanbe that Mufti Tadzhuddin's call for jihad against the United States "does not reflect the position of 20 million Muslims living in the Russian Federation." He told the press: "There can be no talk about funding, weapons deliveries, or sending any people from the territory of Russia. It is out of the question, regardless of who makes such statements… Any Russian citizen, regardless of his faith, should comply with the Constitution and national legislation."

Perhaps the most unusual reaction came from the Russian Orthodox Church. According to Itar-Tass, the Moscow Patriarchate interpreted the call by Mufti Tadzhuddin for a holy war as "an emotional outburst," saying it is unlikely that he truly meant to incite any illegal or extremists actions. Emotion got the better of him, Patriarchate spokesman Archimandrite Mark told Itar-Tass on April 4. He added that the notion of jihad does not necessarily imply armed fighting, but includes such peaceful means as prayer and humanitarian aid. The Russian Orthodox Church has actively cooperated with Tadzhuddin in settling various conflicts in the country, the spokesman said, adding that a joint Orthodox-Muslim delegation visited Iraq shortly before the war began, in the hope of contributing to a peaceful solution.

U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION RISKS BECOMING A 'WHO'S WHO' OF ABUSERS. The United Nations Commission on Human Rights will turn into a "who's who" of abusive governments if several candidates for membership are elected later this month, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has warned. Of the commission's current roster of 53 members, 24 will be elected for two-year terms by the U.N. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in late April. Rory Mungoven, HRW's global advocacy director, called on governments that care about human rights "to prevent the Commission from being hijacked."

HRW proposes minimum criteria for membership: ratification of the main human rights treaties, prompt reporting to U.N. human rights bodies, and issuing open invitations to U.N. human rights investigators. On the other hand, HRW says, a country should be disqualified from membership if the Commission has condemned it for serious human rights violations in the recent past. Among the worrisome current candidates likely to be elected are North Korea, one of the most repressive regimes in the world; Cuba, which has recently cracked down on dissidents and refuses to cooperate with numerous resolutions passed by the commission; Russia, which refuses to admit U.N. experts to investigate abuses in Chechnya; and Egypt, which has an "abysmal record of torture and ill-treatment of detainees."

Candidates are put forward by the different regional groups. Elections will be held for seven African, six Asian, six Latin American, three West European, and two East European seats. In cases where the number of candidates equals the number of the vacant seats, the election will be a formality. HRW has called on the five regional groups to remove from their endorsed lists any candidates who have poor human rights records and who fail to cooperate with the commission. It urged governments with positive human rights credentials to stand for election and help to restore the commission's integrity.

U.N. COMMISSION TO VOTE ON RESOLUTION CRITICAL OF RUSSIA IN CHECHNYA. On April 8, 22 European countries – including the 15 members of the European Union -- submitted a draft resolution to the U.N. Human Rights Commission accusing Russia of grave human rights violations in Chechnya, the Associated Press reported from Geneva. The text lists forced disappearances, summary executions, torture, and harassment during so-called sweep operations, when Russian troops comb areas for rebel holdouts. It suggests that Russia must do more to "implement the rule of law in Chechnya and to secure transparency on any information concerning the above abuses." The draft acknowledges that Russia has a right to fight terrorism but maintains that the fighting "must be conducted in accordance with the rule of law and with the utmost respect for human rights." In Moscow, Dmitry Rogozin, chairman of the Duma's international affairs committee, dismissed the resolution as flawed. According to Itar-Tass, he said: "Different international organizations continue to speculate on Russia's problems in Chechnya, trying to render support to the defeated side."

On two previous occasions, the commission condemned Russia for abuses in Chechnya. In 2000, Russia became the first permanent member of the U.N. Security Council that the commission censured. In 2001, Russia was again condemned. Last year another European resolution critical of Russia was defeated by one vote. The 53-nation commission is scheduled to vote on the resolution next week. Censure brings no penalties but draws international attention to a country's rights record.

ANTISEMITIC PUBLISHER AGAIN ESCAPES JUSTICE. On April 3, the Moscow City Court upheld a decision by the Moscow Prosecutor's Office to close a criminal investigation of inciting ethnic hatred against antisemitic publisher Viktor Korchagin, according to an April 7 report by the RUJEN news agency. The Moscow Prosecutor's Office claimed that the publisher of such works as "The Jewish Occupation of Russia," Russian translations of "Mein Kampf," "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion," and "Jewish Fascism in Russia" did not incite ethnic hatred, despite the fact that the Ministry of the Press has twice issued warnings to Korchagin for the very same crime. Reviewing quotes from Korchagin's writings -- such as "Jews are by their very nature destroyers, the children of the Devil, not God" and "Only the total deportation of the Jews can save Russia" -- an "expert commission" appointed by the court found that "the publication does not propagandize the superiority of the Russian nation over the Jewish [nation]" and "does not inspire" ethnic hatred.

FSB TO CLEAR MULTI-ENTRY VISA APPLICATIONS TO RUSSIA. To block illegal immigrants from entering Russia, the Federal Security Service (FSB), successor to the KGB, will soon begin clearing applications for multi-entry visas, Interfax reported on April 9. Previously, applicants for such visas were verified against a checklist, and applications were not sent the FSB, deputy head of the Passport and Visa Department of the Moscow Interior Department Yuri Myna told Interfax. Russia has adopted several measures to prevent illegal migration, Myna said. One of them is setting up a list of "migration-risky" countries. The list comprises 21 states, including Algeria, Afghanistan, Vietnam, India, Iraq, Iran, China, Nigeria, Pakistan, Turkey, and North Korea.

CHIRAC URGES HIS GOVERNMENT TO USE MORE FIRMNESS AGAINST BIAS. Following increased tensions between Muslims and Jews in France, on April 9, President Jacques Chirac instructed the French authorities to apply "the greatest firmness" in coping with racist and religious attacks. While Muslims have charged more hostility and aggression against them since the September 11 terror attacks in the United States, Jews have pointed to a rising wave of antisemitic incidents since Israel's response to the second Palestinian intifada.

The French government is engaged in an ambitious program to improve relations with the country's five million Muslim residents, many of them poor first- and second-generation immigrants from Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. According to Reuters, the objective is that they do not turn to Islamic extremism. Another goal is to integrate them into French society. A key part of the government program is to establish the French Council of Muslim Faith, which will represent Muslim views to the government, and the second round of elections for that council is scheduled for April 13.

In a dispatch from Marseille, filed on April 4 for "The New York Times," correspondent Elaine Sciolino wrote: "Complicating its troublesome place in society is that much of the Arab-Muslim population in France not only feels alienated from mainstream France but also split within itself - by ethnicity, history, religiosity, politics, and class."

DUTCH ASYLUM POLICIES VIOLATE STANDARDS, HRW CHARGES. Critical aspects of the Netherlands asylum policy violate international refugee standards, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report released on April 9. "In its efforts to control immigration, the Dutch government cannot violate fundamental rights," said Elizabeth Andersen, director of HRW's Europe and Central Asia Division. "The new government in formation should prioritize asylum reform and return the Netherlands to its traditional role as a leader in the defense of human rights and refugee protection in Europe." The 33-page report, "Fleeting Refuge: The Triumph of Efficiency Over Protection in Dutch Asylum Policy," raises concern about recent policies adopted to hasten the processing of asylum claims at the expense of the protection needs of refugees. The report highlights HRW concerns in three areas: violations of the right to seek asylum in a routinely-used accelerated determination procedure; the improper treatment of migrant children; and restrictions on asylum seekers' rights to basic material support, including food and adequate housing.

* * * QUOTE OF THE WEEK * * * "I believe that we should under no circumstances lapse into anti-Americanism," said former Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov, now chairman of the Russian Chamber of Industry and Commerce, in the course of an interview broadcast by NTV Mir on April 6. “This would inflict a great deal of damage on our interests."

TURNAROUND IN SERBIA/MONTENEGRO

The Belgrade government now says that the assassination of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic last month was orchestrated by a group that plotted to replace the pro-Western government with allies of former dictator and indicted war criminal Slobodan Milosevic. It is a plausible explanation, as signs suggest that the post-Djindjic government is cracking down on the former ethnic cleansers now engaged in organized crime and is further distancing itself from Milosevic’s policies.

1. Belgrade to Hand Over to Hague Court Two Former Secret Police Bigwigs.

Two former leaders of Slobodan Milosevic's secret service arrested in connection with the assassination of Prime Minister Djindjic will soon be handed over to the U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague, Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic told Studio B television on April 6. They are former state security chief Jovica Stanisic and his deputy, Franko Simatovic, who headed notorious Serb paramilitary units in the Bosnian and Croatian wars in the early 1990s.

According to the Associated Press (AP), both men are listed in the Hague indictment against Milosevic as accomplices in a "joint criminal enterprise." (Milosevic is on trial on charges of 66 counts of war crimes in Croatia, Bosnia, and Kosovo, including genocide.) The two men are believed to have maintained influence among police officers as well as organized crime even after Milosevic's ouster in 2000, and government officials have linked them to the underworld and paramilitary network accused of Djindjic's assassination. So far the two men have not been charged in Belgrade, but the AP learned that The Hague court is preparing their individual indictments. Belgrade authorities suspect the two may have also played a role in protecting top indicted war criminals, such as chief Ratko Mladic, the Bosnian Serb army chief during the Bosnian war.

2. Joining the Council of Europe.

The state of Serbia and Montenegro joined the Council of Europe on April 3, becoming a member of the continent's leading human rights organization a little less than three years after liberating itself from a dictatorship that combined some of the worst features of a communist bureaucracy and ultra-nationalist zeal. The loose union that replaced last month what was left of Yugoslavia enlisted as the council's 45th member. Maltese Foreign Minister Joseph Borg, who headed the council's meeting, declared: "Serbia and Montenegro ... has made considerable progress in a very short time."

Since ousting Milosevic in 2000, Serbia has wanted to end its isolation that resulted from the Balkan wars it launched during the 1990s. In re-entering the European mainstream, it received further encouragement from Parliamentary Assembly President Peter Schieder who said: "We are welcoming a country which is oriented toward Europe, and which is strongly committed to our common ideals." Established in 1949 to promote human rights and democracy, the council was once an exclusively Western European club. In recent years it has opened its doors to new members in Central and Eastern Europe as well as the Balkans. Former communist countries seek membership in the Council of Europe as a step toward accession to the European Union.

3. Breakthrough for Conscientious Objectors?

In what might be a breakthrough in achieving a civilian alternative to military service, so far unavailable in Serbia and Montenegro, a military judge in Nis in southeastern Serbia has decided not to sentence Jehovah's Witness conscientious objector Milan Gligoric but instead allowed him to apply for civilian service under the terms of newly-adopted Constitutional Agreement of Serbia and Montenegro, which recognizes the right to conscientious objection to military service, according to Forum 18 news service. For the moment, Gligoric is in custody in a military barracks.

Nazarene and Adventist leaders told Forum 18 that their young men are generally prepared to do unarmed service within the military. But should a civilian alternative be introduced, said a Nazarene elder, he had "no doubt" that all the Nazarenes would opt for it instead.

Gligoric, a Jehovah's Witness from Ljubovija, a town in western Serbia on the border with Bosnia, was called up to the army in February and was told to report to barracks on March 4. He declared that he was prepared to enlist in a civilian service. He was taken into custody in Nis. On March 12, the military judge at the Investigation Court allowed him to apply for alternative service as permitted under the new Constitutional Agreement and sent him back to the military barracks in Vranje.

In a report timed for Serbia and Montenegro's April 3 accession to the Council of Europe, Amnesty International (AI) expressed concern over "the absence of a non-punitive and genuine alternative civilian service for conscientious objectors to military service, and the continuing imprisonment of some conscientious objectors to military service." AI called on the government "to guarantee conscientious objectors a non-punitive and genuine alternative civilian service, under civilian control, and in accordance with international standards as recommended by the U.N. Human Rights Committee, the Council of Europe, and the European Parliament."

However, conscientious objector activist Igor Seke reported on April 3 that Gligoric is still in the barracks in Vranje, not wearing a uniform or performing any military duty, but without permission to leave. "He is still expecting an answer to his application to conduct civilian service in a genuine civilian institution," Seke said. "He was told that he would get the answer in seven days. It's three weeks now and still no answer. Milan is becoming desperate as they told him that it might take up to 60 days to get the final answer. For all that time he might not be able to leave the barracks."

"We estimate that there are about 30 people from various religious communities who are being prosecuted, are serving prison terms or are conducting unarmed military service," Dejan Milenkovic of Yucom, the Lawyers' Committee for Human Rights in Belgrade, an NGO that is involved in the legislative issue of conscientious objection in Serbia and Montenegro, told Forum 18 on March 30. Milenkovic said that many more young people are now interested in choosing alternative civilian service, which they insist must be completely separate from unarmed military service, which usually consists of work in army-owned factories or farms. "There are more people who prefer civilian service, either because of their religious belief or their philosophical standpoint, but our laws do not provide a framework for this to be available," he said. He expressed confidence that Serbia and Montenegro's membership in the Council of Europe would usher in new laws and would provide all three options: regular military service, unarmed military service, and alternative civilian service.

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EDITOR'S NOTE: Because of Passover, there will be no "Bigotry Monitor" published next week.

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